Established in 2008, NewKadampaTruth.org (together with its associated blog) is the online service of a New Kadampa Tradition ~ International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT ~ IKBU) Public Relations team consisting mainly of experienced and knowledgeable teachers and administrators within the New Kadampa Tradition.

Its primary purpose is to provide in-depth, authoritative refutation of smears against the NKT ~ IKBU for those who have read or heard defamation of this time-honored Buddhist tradition. It also endeavors to increase transparency in the NKT ~ IKBU and pass on complaints. For this reason, it invites comments and questions. People can also write anonymously and know that their questions will be heard and respected and, if wished, addressed privately and discreetly. NewKadampaTruth.org has no physical office. It is associated with and endorsed by the NKT office at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in the UK.

If you have any concerns or complaints about the NKT~IKBU, or if you would like to report a smear, please contact report@newkadampatruth.org to communicate with the NKT ~ IKBU PR team.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 13th, 2009 at 8:33 pm and is filed under New Kadampa Tradition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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7 Responses to New Kadampa Truth Website

I just wrote this comment on the Survivors’ article but it seems to fit here as well. I am thinking of ways in which we collectively can help our tradition to continually improve by learning from our own individual mistakes. Rather than judging others, or being in any way defensive about criticism, this would be a good time to take responsibility for looking closely at our own behavior, as we now near Geshe-la’s retirement and need more than ever to work together in harmony and love.

What do people think about the idea of NKT managers and teachers (those with any authority) checking out the Survivors’ group (if they have not already done so) just so they can ask themselves honestly and without fear, “Am I myself guilty of any of these behaviors described here?” Would there be anything to lose?

Another way of doing it would be to check the New Kadampa Truth website where pretty much every grievance has been addressed, and, again, to ask humbly as an individual, “Do I ever do this?” e.g. “do I ever tell people to read only Geshe-la’s books? Do I ever pressurize people into over-working? Do I ever behave a little fanatically or at least with an uncaring corporate mentality?” Or whatever.

The Kadampa tradition itself clearly does not desire nor encourage these behaviors, hence the website and the Internal Rules (not to mention the holy Dharma); but individuals within the organization are naturally capable of making these kinds of mistakes due to delusions. This might therefore be a good litmus test enabling us to follow Atisha’s advice to identify and overcome any faults we might have. Especially those faults that are in any sense responsible for the NKT being thought by some people to be cult-like.

People in the NKT train very hard to generate strong faith. They are very good at what they do. This faith prevents them from seeing faults in the objects of refuge. So it is very hard for them to accept any faults in the NKT.

You propose that they ask humbly if they ever exhibit cult-like behaviour. I say they are not capable of examining themselves honestly in this way because they have too much blind faith. Try telling a christian about the faults in their religion. You can’t. They won’t listen. It’s the same sort of phenomenon.

Anyway Geshe-las teachings do pressurize people into over-working. Try looking in…oh wait if I say where then this comment will be censored.

How do you find time to visit every centre and talk and observe every practioner and their actions over a long period of time? Because you are making a very sweeping comment about thousands of practioners and I can only assume that you have thoroughly researched it. And also you must have then studied every other type of religious organisation around the world and made a detailed comparative analysis?

Also please tell me specifically which teachings of Geshe-las you are referring to. I have attended most teachings he has given over the last 10 years and didn’t actually get that impression at all.

I do percieve faults in individuals and how centres are run…. but then again I also percieve faults from time in lots of things: like the war in Afghanistan, MPs expenses; previous employers and so on.

I think the Geshe-la and the NKT are trying to accomplish a beautiful thing, leading people away from suffering. But at the same time I accept that mistakes will be made on the way; and hopefully we will learn from them.

What I find sad with this whole anti-NKT band wagon, and please tell me if I am wrong, is that apart from trying to destroy this tradition what else are they trying to do to stop all the suffering people experience? And not just temporarily, but permanently.

People come into the spiritual path because they have delusions and problems that they can’t overcome; but then as soon as we join the NKT are we supposed to complete the spiritual path before we start it so we don’t ever make any mistakes?!

Regarding the anti-NKT bandwagon. No doubt there is room for constructive criticism, which is intended to have beneficial effects. However many of the anti-NKT attacks have no other purpose but to cause a schism in the Sangha – which is one of the five heinous actions.

I want to complete the counting retreats & I dont want to do them alone. I want to do retreat in a group. I want to join in. I love the NKT & group practice. And I love counting. Years ago it was so easy you could book & come to a centre & get 3 meals in dormitory. Now catering for non buddhists is making obstacles that weren’t there before. People can get B&B & cafe anywhere. But only these centres provide Dharma opportunities. Surely the people who want to do retreat are the ones that should be celebrated & helped. Since the B&Bs are to raise money to make it possible for people to practice arent we losing the point if its getting more & more hrd for people who want to do retreat to stay & centres & get meals? Isnt that going in the wrong direction?

In the past, I heard comments that the NKT didn’t do enough for the community. Now when we have Cafe, and B&B then we are told that is no good, you can’t win. In samsara we will always be critizised. I wish we could all learn from our own mistakes, and just do our best. Personally I think most of us, in our out of NKT, try to practise Dharma to the best of our ability. Why critizise? Why not just try to purify our own mind from our own faults? And try to cherish others to the best of our capability? Atishas advice is ‘Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself and purge them like bad blood.’

It really saddens me when “Survivors” continually stay trapped in their hatred and allow themselves to be manipulated by Mr Cutts. The NKT in reality is Geshe la’s vision for everyone to have access to temples and dharma which in turn will lead them to peace. Don’t we all want that?

I understand that people have had some difficult experiences with others within the NKT but that’s life, it happens outside of the NKT as well and to be honest in my experience this only happens because we want to be liked and taken notice of which is not the buddhist path anyway. So to “Survivors” I say as a human being take responsibility for your lives, if you feel hurt by others then tell them but most importantly look honestly at yourselves and remove the victim from within and become a spiritual being.

The NKT is the Guru’s vision and the people trying to fulfill that vision are only human, so give them a break.